Many people know that water helps quench thirst. But the function of water in the body does more than just quench your thirst. Water helps in regulating body temperature, provides moisture for the eyes, nose, and mouth, transports nutrients to different cells, and lubricates the joints. It is essential for the proper functioning of your body and keeps you healthy.
Our body is composed of 60 percent of water and blood is composed of 90 percent of water. Water helps in preventing dehydration and moisturizing your skin. The main function of water in the body is to deliver oxygen throughout our body, forms mucus, saliva, lubricate joints, boost skin health, and maintains digestive health.
Here is the function of water in the body
1. Removal of waste from your body
The human body loses water through perspiration, urination, and defecation. With this process, waste is also excreted, and your kidney removes waste from the blood. Drinking an adequate amount of water helps in keeping your kidney function normally. Learn more about normal kidneys and how to prevent kidney diseases.
2. Water aids in digestion and constipation
Water helps in healthy digestion and helps in preventing constipation. According to the Mayo Clinic, water helps in breaking down the food we eat and eases the absorption of nutrients. It also helps in digesting the soluble fiber by turning it into a gel-like substance and slowing the digestion process.
3. Water helps in regulating body temperature
Water helps in regulating body temperature by absorbing, transferring, and stabilizing the heat. Since water has a high heat capacity, it can absorb a lot of heat and remove excess heat in the form of vapor from the lungs and sweat from the skin.
4. Provides moisture for the eyes, nose, and mouth
During the hot summer seasons, we lose lots of water and we need to re-hydrate by drinking an adequate amount of water or refreshing beverages. According to the Drinking water Research Foundation, water helps in keeping your eyes, tissues, nose, and mouth moist.
5. Water lubricates joints
Drinking an adequate amount of water helps in keeping your joints lubricated and flexible. Synovial fluid is made up of water and it helps in reducing the friction between the joints.
6. Water maintains your cardiovascular health
Our body contains the maximum amount of water and plasma is composed of about 90 percent of water. Water helps in balancing the electrolyte minerals and keeps the concentration of your blood normal. Electrolyte minerals help in the proper functioning of muscles and the heart.
7. Water maintains optimal brain function
According to research, your brain functions better when you are well hydrated. An inadequate amount of water in your body can cause anxiety, fatigue, change in moods, concentration, and impairs memory. Keeping yourself hydrated helps in maintaining optimal brain functions.
The mineral content of water
Water is composed of a chemical compound called hydrogen and oxygen. Even though the mineral contents of water are not that impressive, Water is considered a vital nutrient and a great source of minerals.
According to the nutrition data and based on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 1 liter or 1000 grams of drinking water contains 30 milligrams of calcium, 10 milligrams of magnesium, 40 milligrams of sodium, 0.1 milligrams of zinc, 0.1 milligrams of copper, and 712 micrograms of fluoride.
Why do you need to drink water every day?
You lose water through urine, perspiration, breathing, and many other daily activities. To compensate for this loss, you need to drink water daily or consume foods that are rich in water. The amount of water intake depends on different factors like body weight, body size, daily activities involved, environmental conditions or level of exercises but health professional recommends about 11.5 cups for women and 15.5 cups for a man.
Water intake based on body weight
Water intake is based on body mass and level of physical activity in a day. In general, follow the simple rule as follows:
Water (in liters) to drink a day = Your Weight (in Kg) multiplied by 0.033
For example, if you are 50 kg, you should drink about 1.6 liters of water every single day. At 70 kg, you’ll around about 3 liters of water. You can get this result by multiplying 0.033 with your weight in Kg.
A very active person loses more water through perspiration and sweats. So such person should aim to drink a high amount of water in a day.
List of high water content foods
- Cucumber: contains 96% water
- Pineapple: 87% water
- Watermelon: 92% water
- Tomatoes: 94% water
- Strawberries: 92% water
- Oranges: 86% water
- Apples: 85% water
- Peaches: 89% water
- Lettuce: 96% water
- Cauliflower: 92% water
- Cabbage: 92% water
- Grapes: 88% water
- Coconut water: 95% water
Effects of water deficiency
Deficiency in water or inadequate intake of water causes dehydration. Dehydration occurs when you suffer from diarrhea, vomiting, frequent urination, excessive sweating, and exposure to heatwaves. The symptoms of dehydration may include thirst, reduced sweating, dry mouth, and reduced urination.
Deficiency in water causes a headache, stomachache, loss of appetite, tiredness, and even seizures.
Daily water intake calculator
According to the U.S survey data, a water intake calculator helps in determining the amount of water you should drink based on your body weight. It can optimize the function of water in the body by drinking the required amount of water. Please refer to the below table as a water intake calculator.
Endnote:
Water is essential for the proper functioning of our body. The function of water in the body is not only to quench your thirst. I hope by going through this article, you will understand the health benefits of drinking water and how much water you should drink depending on your body weight.
